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Our Team

 

 Dr. Deanna McClannahan

Clinical Director

Dr. McClannahan is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, Board Certified Art Therapist,  Art Therapy Certified Supervisor, Expressive Arts Therapist/Trauma-Informed, International Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor, Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor, and a National Approved Clinical Supervisor. She has a bachelors in Studio Art & Art History, with minors in Visual Communications and Psychology. During this time she moved to Florence, Italy where she attended Lorenzo Di Medici, a prominent art school. Deanna earned her masters in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Art Therapies. She has a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies and a doctorate in Expressive Arts Therapies. 

Deanna holds the following licenses and certifications:

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Colorado through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies 
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia through the Georgia Secretary of State
  • Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) from the National Board for Certified Counselors 
  • Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) through the Art Therapy Credentials Board
  • Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS) through the Art Therapy Credentials Board
  • Expressive Arts Therapist/Trauma-Informed (EXAT) through the Trauma-Informed Practices & Expressive Arts Therapy Institute
  • Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) through the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association
  • Registered Play Therapy Supervisor (RPT-S) through the Association of Play Therapy
  • Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor (CPCS) through the Licensed Professional Counselor Association of Georgia
  • Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) from the National Board for Certified Counselors
  • Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP) from The Clinical Certification Association of Licensed Professionals
  • Certified Family Trauma Professional (CFTP) from The Clinical Certification Association of Licensed Professionals
  • Certified in Neuroscience
  • Certified in Level One Trauma-Informed Care
  • Foundational Theraplay Practitioner (Attachment-based Therapy)
  • EMDR Therapist

Deanna has extensive training working with children and adolescents, families, severe trauma and dissociation, adoption, spiritual counseling, and the foster care system. The primary focus of her practice over the years has been on severely abused children and those in residential care. Deanna has over 24 years’ experience working in the foster care system. Deanna has extensive training in counseling supervision and provides supervision and consultation to students, those seeking licensure, as well as licensed professionals. Deanna has also written articles for several mental health magazines and has been invited to various speaking engagements around the country. For over 14 years, Deanna has served as a college professor working with both graduate and undergraduate students.

Deanna is a member of several professional organizations including The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISST-D), The American Play Therapy Association, Colorado Play Therapy Association, Licensed Professional Counselor Association of Georgia (LPCA) and the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA). She enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and the arts. 

 

Sharlete Babrudi LPCC

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate

Sharlete is honest, compassionate, and optimistic. She believes the clients are the experts in their lives and considers it a privilege to walk alongside them in their journey to healing and recovery. She tends to see and bring awareness to the client’s strength, thus empowering them to take the issue as a challenge rather than a threat. She believes struggles and setbacks in life to be part of being human and not a sign of weakness. Her primary therapeutic approach is Adlerian, where healthy and meaningful relationships are fundamental to individuals’ wellbeing. She uses different components of other approaches to meet the needs of every client best. She works with children, teens, and adults and has been with Creative Hope Counseling since 2021. Sharlete received her Bachelor of Arts’ with a focus on psychology and minor in criminal justice degree from UCCS. She completed her masters in counseling at Colorado Christian University. 

 

 Laura Register LPCC

 Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate

Laura is genuine, empathic and a good listener.  She has a heart for kids of all ages, having raised five children of her own, and enjoys helping women overcome their stage-of-life challenges. She believes that lasting change begins with a change in beliefs and behaviors that then affect our emotions and physiology, an idea founded in Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT).   Also influenced by Internal Family Systems Theory (IFS), Laura desires to walk with each person on their unique journey toward emotional awareness and self-compassion, discovering and integrating all parts of Self.  Laura’s undergraduate degree in music prompted work with people of all ages over many years before her choice to pursue a graduate degree. She completed her masters in clinical mental health counseling at Liberty University.  She is trained in EMDR. When she’s not working, Laura enjoys cycling, trail-running, playing with her border collie, and making music with her grandkids.

 

 

 

Elizabeth Tucker LPCC

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate

Elizabeth Tucker values cultivating authenticity in relationships, discovering courage in vulnerability and healing, and finding beauty in the most unusual of places. Elizabeth became increasingly interested in counseling as she began her own therapeutic journey – now, counseling is her passion! She firmly believes that it is important for the counselor to engage deeply in their own healing so that they have both the tools and the compassion to help others. Elizabeth realizes that every individual is unique and has a very personal life story that deserves to be honored. She places great value on experiences, cultures, values, and backgrounds that are different from her own & believes in utilizing an integrative approach that pursues interventions that will best meet the needs of the client. She truly desires to meet people wherever they are & help them gain the tools & self-awareness to lead a full and hope-filled life. She completed her masters in Clinical & Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University.

 

Robin Kennedy LPCC

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate

Robin Kennedy completed her masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She considers “helping” to be one theme in life that has guided her to the counseling profession. Robin has a heart for serving others. One way she demonstrates this is through volunteering. Robin is a Veteran spouse and mother of four. She is eager to help promote wellness in life as well as the military community. She is excited to expand her knowledge through this experience while further developing her skills and providing a safe environment for those she works with.

 

 

 

Amanda Schultze

Masters Level Intern

Amanda Schultze is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Liberty University. She received her bachelor’s degree in somatic psychology with a minor in art therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. She is a certified Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner, which is an evidence-based approach that can create powerful shifts in perspective that bring peace. She enjoys using the tools she has in her toolbox to support and empower others of all ages as they navigate through their unique healing process. She believes in a narrative and holistic approach that considers every aspect influencing an individual's story. She views her faith as her foundation and looks forward to letting God work through her in the counseling room with you.

 

Sam Ayeni

Masters Level Intern

Sam Ayeni is a second-year Clinical Mental Health Counseling student specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy at Colorado Christian University, with a focus on a systemic approach to therapy using multiple therapeutic modalities including Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Sam is scheduled to graduate in Fall of 2025. Sam holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Biblical Studies from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul in Minnesota. Additionally, he had the privilege of serving as a pastor and also served in the US Army as an Infantryman with deployment experience. Sam is happily married and blessed with two children. 

 

 

Nikki Nassen

Masters Level Intern

Nikki Nassen is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Adams State University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Colorado State University. She has a passion for helping others and enjoys working with individuals of all ages. Her approach in the counseling room is grounded in the principles of the attachment theory, recognizing the profound impact early relationships can have on emotional well-being. She understands that healing looks different for everyone and is committed to supporting each client on their individual journey. She believes in utilizing an integrative approach to meet each client’s specific needs and help them reach their full potential. Her goal is to provide a compassionate, client-centered environment that fosters growth, healing, and lasting change.

  

Allison Efaw

Masters Level Intern

Allison is happily married to an army veteran and is the mother of three grown children who were homeschooled. She is passionate about working with those who suffer from chronic illnesses, as she also endured living with stage IV metastatic breast cancer since 2015. As a registered nurse since 1996, certified health coach, and cancer survivor who relies on her faith to provide hope and wisdom, Allison desires to walk alongside others who need assistance and a listening ear, navigating the complexities of co-morbidities and other life struggles. As a result of her diverse personal experiences, God has paved the way for Allison to complete additional graduate degrees & certifications in medical cannabis science & therapeutics, integrative nutrition, integrative health, herbalism, and international studies with a focus on global health. Allison prefers to incorporate various counseling techniques such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, & person-centered therapy to meet the diverse needs of her clients. She is a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University. Her interests include quilting, gardening, hiking, traveling, skiing, and spending time with friends. 

 

 

Creative Hope Counseling is hiring!

 

Reach out to info@creativehope.net for more information